When I Fell In Love
by Aya Brea X
Summary: A look into the day when X and Zero each realizes they love each other. Zero's day first! Part I: Tanguera. Shounen-Ai.


**Aya**: Hi guys!  Sorry for the long absence!  This piece is a two-part work describing X and Zero's thoughts when they each realized they were really in love with the other. ^_^  Part I, Tanguera is in Zero's point of view.  

**Zero**: Tangerineia?  What in the heck is that?!

**X**: Heee hee. ^_^

**Zero**: O_o

**When I Fell in Love**

**Part I: Tanguera**

"Dance?!"  X shouted, his voice cracking from shell-shock.  He was cute like that, when he's not so much angry as just… put out of balance.  The mixture of fear and self-consciousness was sweeter than sugar.  "I--I can't dance!"  I wonder if he knows that, just how sweet he looks right at this moment.

"You're going to have to learn fast."  Signas said matter-of-factly, though I knew he was secretly enjoying the expression plastered on X's face, as I was.  "I've already promised the diplomat personally that you would dance with her daughter at the reception tomorrow night.  It was the only way to get the young girl to accompany her to come."  Leaning forwards, he have X another one of his stern looks.  "I do not like breaking promises."

"But Signas!"  X continued, exhaling out of frustration.  "You know non-choreographed dancing can't just be programmed, right?  I can't just plug into the library database and pick up some steps.  Even Reploids have to learn how to dance by _practice."_

"Don't worry, X."  I waved my hand in the air helpfully.  "I'll help you.  I already know how to dance."  I smiled happily at X, who turned and gave me the _cutest_ unhappy face I've ever seen, and then he growled.

God, that's cute.  

….

And I never use the word "cute" for anything not relating to X.  Period.

 "If you're so inclined, why don't you dance with her?"  X pouted his lips as soon as he finished his sentence.  

"Because she's a big fan of _yours, X."  Signas shook his head.  "Please learn how to dance before then.  You really wouldn't want to disappoint a fan of yours… especially one who happens to be the daughter to a very important diplomat."_

Signas quickly sent us out of the office, like it was already decided.  Poor X.   He didn't have a chance to say no.  "Don't worry about it.  I'll teach you how to dance in less than three hours."

"I don't mind looking stupid…"  X sighed.  I put my arm around his shoulder.  In turn, X leaned to my side as we continued down the corridor.  "I'd hate to screw up all this diplomat stuff."

"Didn't I just tell you not to worry about it?"  I squeezed his shoulder.  "I'll make a little 'Lord of the Dance' out of you yet."  He gave me a skeptical look, but then sighed.  "The lesson will have to wait until tomorrow morning; I still have duties later this afternoon."

X sighed some more.  

This would be very cute, indeed.

****************

I had arranged to meet X in one of the dance studios outside of town.  Being really a police force type of organization, the Hunter's Headquarters did not have a dance studio to speak of.  I also didn't want the other hunters to give X a hard time about learning how to dance, so an out of the way dance studio was just the thing.  

"X!"  I smiled, quite pleased by what I saw as I walked into the studio.  There stood X, fixing the bowtie on his tuxedo.  He actually came fully dressed in formal gear.  Priceless.  "Looking good there."

"Zero!"  Forgetting about his still-skew bowtie, X turned his attention to me.  "How come you're not dressed?  We're still going to practice how to dance, right?"    
  


"Of course."  I came wearing a T-shirt and jeans.  "You didn't have to get dressed just for the practice, but it's good to see you're enthusiastic about this." X perked up a bit at that.  "So we're going to learn an elementary waltz.  There's not that much to it, you'll just learn to move to the song, and sort of… improvise as we move along."  X nodded, almost a little too furiously, an enthusiastic and sincere student as always.  "I'll lead first, you observe what I'm doing, and then I'll let you lead."

"But, what do I _do?"_

"Dances are chauvinistic, X."  I said with a smile as I took X's hand.  "A proper male dancer is supposed to lead the girl, even if she doesn't know how to dance."  X's face twisted slightly at the comment.  Being the decent Reploid as he is, he's probably thinking what Alia would have to say about that statement.  "Just follow my lead."  I wrapped my arm around X's waist.  "Computer, Sibelius' Valtz Triste."  The music started to play over the speakers in the corners of the room.  "Go with the flow, X."  It was awkward dancing with X.  Literally, his feet were like lead.  He would wait much too long before moving his feet, almost making me push him forwards or pull him sideways.  "When you feel I'm moving in one direction, go with the flow."  
  


"I'm just..."  X struggled with my movements a bit more, nearly tripping this time.  "Afraid I'm going to fall."

"Oh be a big boy!"  I chided.  "It's not going to hurt if you do fall, and I'm not going to let you fall."  X did ease up a bit, starting to anticipate my moves a little sooner, and stepping in the correct direction.  "Just pretend this is a battle, only without the busters and the killing."

X raised an eyebrow, but the dancing actually improved.  Worrying less about falling, and more about anticipating my next turn, X started to actually _dance.  After about three rounds of the song, I decided to let X have a try at __leading._

X nodded, paused, but did not move.  I always wondered what he was thinking in those moments.  Before battles, sometimes he would just stand in the doorway, looking at nothing in particular.  Maybe it was a self pep-talk, or going over a mantra in his head.  

"Ready?"  He asked.

"Of course."  He took my hand and the music began.  It was odd, dancing with X with him leading.  He doesn't really seem to be leading…  Sure, he was copying all of my moves quite well, but the hesitation before each turn was obvious.  "You gotta convince me you know you're going, or this will be one _very strange _dance."

"I--I'm trying, Zero… but…"  The boy still struggled.  He just wasn't having a really good time with this.  

"Don't think about it so much."  I tried, but X started to get even more tense than before I said anything.  Desperate times calls for desperate measures.

I grabbed X's ass.

"Zero…"  X stopped in his tracks, while I smiled mischievously at him.  "Did you just grope me?"  He was asking really calm-like.  It was akin to "Did you drink the last of the milk?"  As harmless as the question sounded, though, the underlying hostility, since drinking the last of the milk without purchasing more is a very serious offense, was all there.  

"I'm sorry X."  Lie lie lie.  I wasn't sorry.  It was a _fine piece of work I just had a handful of, and there was nothing for me to be sorry about.  "You're just so handsome in that tuxedo."  _

"Oh…"  

There he goes again.  Even with me, he was sometimes socially awkward.  He had a wonderful personality when you got to know him, but whenever he's in a shy mood, he's just…awkward.  

Nothing a kiss couldn't cure!  Before he could protest or make the mood any stranger, our lips were locked.  A half mewing sound escaped from his throat, probably from shock.  While X was surprised, over in Zero's head… heh… Hey!  These thoughts are private!  Stay out of there!  

…

I will tell you, it involves taking apart the carefully put together tuxedo.  Rar.

My mind was so involved on the many ways I could have fun with X, that I completely lost track of time.  Of course, I had no idea X had to be somewhere else at noon, until he shoved me off and got off of the floor.  

"Is it noon already?!"  X shouted, frantically trying to dust off his tuxedo.  "I'm late!"

"Late?"  I said, still dazed from the…erm... intense _dance lesson with X.  "You didn't tell me you had to be somewhere at noon."_

"I gotta go!"  X bolted out the door, leaving me sitting on the ground by myself.  I turned to look at my reflection in the mirror, and blinked.  "Sometimes he's just such a jerk."  

******************

I didn't see X again before the reception.  Sure, I looked for the guy around HQ the rest of the day, but he was nowhere to be found.  Reluctantly, I prepared for the reception by myself.  Those damned bowties are deceptively difficult to tie.  I wish he could've been there to help me.

I met Alia on the way to the hanger, so I shared a ride with her to City hall.  She was dressed in a lovely blue dress, made of something that glittered under the lights.  I wonder what X would look like in that.  

"Wonder what X would look like in this number?"  Alia gave me a sly look.  "I know there's no other reason you should be looking _that_ closely at my dress."  She laughed, as if something funny just hit her.  "Unless of course, you're wondering what you would look like in this dress yourself."

"I was not!"  I fumed.  Not many women out there could do that to me; make me lose my cool like that.  Alia was one of them.  This is why she's priceless, too.  It's good to have someone rattle your wits once in awhile.  "Although, yes, I was thinking how X would look in that.  Is that a size six?"

"I'll be sure to lend it to X as soon as possible." 

*********************

The beginning of the ball was quite dull.  I still hadn't found X, and Dr. Cain made it a point to drag me around the ballroom and show me off the other guests.  I was more concerned with finding X, and to casually ask him what he's been up to since this morning, but he seems to be missing.

Finally I gave up and sat down at one of the tables, which was littered with random half-drank refreshments and snacks.  I dulled my senses with some chocolate fudge brownies I picked up from a passing waiter.  It shouldn't be long before the scheduled dance between X and random fangirl number 3, AKA diplomat's daughter.  Sure enough, just as I finished that thought, Valse Triste started.  My eyes skimmed over the crowd, which started to part.  In the center was X and another girl.  When I say girl, I mean it.  She was actually shorter than X (who's only 5'2").  Gah, he was doing it again, that hesitant leading dancing.  I knew I should have taught him how to dance better instead of slip my tongue down his thro--HEY, private thoughts!  Ah well, she seems to be more fascinated by the idea of dancing with X than the actual quality of the dancing.

Mercifully, the song ended, and X bowed to the girl, who giggled but also curtsied back.  She bounded off happily to her other friends, running off to their table to--no doubt--talk about how cute X was.  I'd like to add a couple of comments in there, but it wouldn't exactly be appropriate for their age.  But hey, who knows, children these days are getting to know more stuff than--

Suddenly X was standing before me.  He must have gotten there while I was busy looking at the group of giggling girls.  He held out his hand and smiled confidently.  I pointed to myself, questioning if he wanted a dance.  He nodded enthusiastically again, which ruffled his black hair, somehow making it look better.  I gladly took his hand and got out of the chair.  The crowd was still parted from the last dance, so their eyes immediately shot to us as we approached the dance floor.  I had no idea what X was doing.  

With a nod to the music coordinator from X, tango music started.  I recognized the song, as well as the stance X got into.  He looked over his left shoulder towards me, while pointing his two arms behind him.  His right leg was two steps back from his left.

So he wanted to dance the woman's role in this one, eh?  X would make a pretty Tanguera, especially if he was in Alia's dress right now.  I started circling around X, stepping with the music.  X glared at me intensely, not smiling nor frowning.  By now, everyone was watching the show, even the girls stopped giggling, I noticed.  I circled behind X, and spun him around.  We caught each other's bodies like we had years of practice.  Of course, this was a choreographed dance.  I recognized the music as well as X's pose.  

The devil.  That's what he must have fun off to do this afternoon.  Learn this song.  

I love him.  Just when I thought I knew him as much as I possibly could, he surprises me with something like this.  Tango music!

With Tango, the dancers don't actually look at each other very often, and when they do, it's not about love or romance.  While most people tend to think Tango is some kind of romantic dance, it's actually mostly about loneliness, lust, and violence.  Naturally the female dancer looks down or away most of the time.  

Alia talks to me a lot, that's how I know.  

We moved, with me seemingly leading the dance, directing the way for us to move.  I lean forwards, and X wraps one of his legs around my forward one, finally looking at me again with that glare again, like I was a stranger who was about to take something very dear from him.  Not angry.  Not happy.  Just jaded.

We were close to the table of fan girls, and I distinctly heard one of them say something about how her life is now complete. 

There is yet another misunderstood fact about Tango.  As Jorge I. Oclander writes: "The male controls with his eyes.  Yet, it is she who is really in control.  A mere brush of her hand across his neck or chest.  It is she who dances."  

What?  So I read up on stuff Alia tells me about.  Go eat a catfish.

X brushes his hand lightly across my cheek, immediately commanding my attention, as choreographed of course.  Suddenly the dance turns in a while new direction, the music rises in tempo.  He and I move quickly, legs crossing behind and in front as we crossed the diagonal of the ballroom.  I dip X down but immediately pull him back up, exuding the theme of violence in the dance with our quick movements.  

The music started to wind up, and we moved into some quick turns.  At the end I released X, and we stood, less than an inch from each other, but looking away at opposite downward directions.  It was a dance depicting strangers sharing an intimate, but void, encounter, so it ends in a cold manner as well.  

One really gets to think a lot during dances.

We stayed in that end pose for a good five seconds before someone finally clapped.  The one set of applause was followed by everyone else in the room, as well as a couple of catcalls.  I think of the fan girls fainted, too.  

I finally looked towards X, whose face now cringed at something very painful.  "X?"  I reached out to touch him, but he shook with some force I couldn't see and suddenly bolted from the room.  Immediately I chased him, not really trying to stop him from going anywhere, but to make it look less strange to others who were still watching.  Now they probably figure we were just in a _real_ hurry to get something private done, instead of X randomly having an emotional crisis.  Have I told you I've covered for him like this numerous times?

Oh well, he covers for me when I go maverick, so I guess we're even.

He finally stopped running when we got out into the front courtyard, and sat down in the marble bench beside the grass.  I sat down next to him, thankful that he did not protest at my presence.  

"Out with it."  I began.

"What?"  X said defensively, as if nothing was really wrong.

"I mean it.  Out."

"You couldn't be a little less tactful about it?"  X shook his head.

"You know this is just how I am, and you still love me."  My comment won me a small smile from him.  "So out with it, or do I have to seduce it out of you?"

"Zero!"  X punched me on the arm.  Owww… that hurt.  Sometimes I wish X were the girly girl some people made him out to be, because then the punches from him would hurt less.  "I was just thinking during the dance."

"Great dance, by the way.  You surprised me."  I nudged X lightly.  "I was hoping you would ask me to dance, but the choice was a surprise."

"Thanks…"  X stared off at the fountain midway across the lawn, momentarily mesmerized by the lights playing off the running water.  "So, are we just all about sex?"

"Now who is being tactless?"  X gives me a look for not taking the question seriously.  "Really, X, did you really have to ask?"

"But considering we… I mean…"  Two red patches appeared on his cheeks.  "Every chance we get."

"You know it's more than that, and I don't have to remind you."  X nodded, smiling.  "It's interesting you picked a Tango for us, since you might not be aware that you're the one doing the dancing in the relationship."

"Huh?"  X looked blankly at me.  I see that Alia hasn't gone on her rant about the intricacies of Tango with X.

"Never mind, X."  I pecked X chastely on the cheek.  "Just know that I love you."

And I do.  You're so many things for me, X.  I love you.

--------------------------------

**Mob Member 1: **Awww!  Zero's a perv, but he's a cute perv!

**Mob Member 2:**  Forget that, how come we didn't see some cute Reploid panties in this fic?

**Aya:**  What's with you guy's obsession with Reploid panties anyway?  Wasn't it good enough that they were all dressed in cute Tuxedos and did the Tango?

**Mob: ***chanting* Panties, panties….

**Aya:** O_o  Oh yeah, I made an unnamed appearance in the fic.  XD I'm the one in the fangirl posse who Zero mentioned said her life was now complete XD  Also I want to mention that the inspiration for this fic is due to this obscure ice dance team from Lithuania, Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas.  They really shouldn't be obscure, since they just skate so beautifully.  Did I mention Povilas was very very bishounen?  Literally, he has bishounen legs.  When I wrote that blurb on the dance, I was thinking of them.  The songs I used for this was also from two programs they did, their 1998 Original Dance "Valtz Triste" done to Sibelius' song of the same name, as well as their 2002 Free Dance "Tango Tanguera."  All the info I found on Tango was found in the insert in the CD "Forever Tango."  The blurb was from an excerpt from Jorge I. Oclander's article "Tango: So That You Know Who I am."  I hope you liked this story.  Expect part II to be much less technical and much more fluffy.  XD  Oh yeah, this was written in what I think is Zero's inner dialogue to no one in particular.  I really think that he's a closet man of culture, due to Alia's influence.  I also assumed everyone and their mother knows about X and Zero's relationship… I mean… COME ON… XD  Sorry for the typos if any, but I just spent eight hours writing this, and it's 6 in the morning.  I'm really eager to hear what you think about it instead of worried about the mistakes.  I did proof read, but I am very tired.


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